This is the eight outing for this trio who have been building an international reputation, particularly since their ‘Alive’ CD a few years ago. Multi-instrumentalist Neame has been working with Marius Neset and, more recently, Julian Arguelles; Hoiby has been working with Fellow Creatures and Malija; Eger has also worked with Neset and, earlier this year, played a few gigs (and recorded an album) in Anton Eger’s Band. So, you do wonder how the trio found time to get together to record this set. More importantly, given the range of styles and other musicians they’ve been working with, you have to marvel at the way the trio slip back into their familiar mode of playing. The trio specialise in an intelligent jazz that swings – and this makes them an odd mix of the cerebral and the ecstatic in a way that few piano trios can emulate. Neame’s sinuous piano lines, with his delicate use of the higher notes are perfectly balanced by Hoiby’s deep bass and Eger’s intelligent and pyrotechnic drumming.

The CD release comes with one of two cover designs that feature aerial shots of people, animals, or trees in order to show how, viewed from the right angle, the inhabitants of the planet have similar need to live without disturbance and disruption and which, according to the press notes, stem from a ‘desire to communicate a sense of unity on a shared planet’. The title of the CD reflects this idea of unity, and as the trio says in the press notes, “More than ever before, we feel we have a responsibility to use whatever influence we have to voice environmental, political and social concerns...” Tracks like Eger’s ‘the tree did not die’ (track 6) and Hoiby’s ‘breathless’ (track 5) reinforce these concerns. If this makes it sound as if the music could be a little too earnest, let me assure you that, while the message might be worthy, the music swings with passion and humour. It is, perhaps, not a coincidence that track 2 is called ‘matrix for D.A.’ – where the ‘D.A.’ in question is author Douglas Adams, and the tune celebrates his lament on the state of humanity at the start of the Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Galaxy. Perhaps, a propos of this concern, the last word could go to Mr. Adams, “We are not an endangered species ourselves yet, but this is not for lack of trying.”